The Basics of Scoring the AP English Language and Composition Exam
  • The multiple- choice section counts for 45% of your total score
  • The essay section counts for 55%

Four- Part Calculation

  1. Raw scoring of the multiple-choice section
  2. Raw scoring of the essay section
  3. The calculation of composite score
  4. Conversion of the composite score into the AP grade of 5,4,3,2,1 .

Multiple Choice Scoring

Formula : number right- (number wrong x 0.25) = raw score rounded up or down to the nearest whole number.
Answering a question wrong will cost you one- forth of a point while leaving a question blank will cost you a zero.

Essay Scoring
Each esay is scored as 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, and 0, a 9 is the highest possible score.
Formula:Essay 1 (pts x 3.055) + Essay 2 (pts x 3.055) + Essay 3 (pts x 3.055) = essay raw score


Calculating Your Composite Score
  • Total composite score for the AP English and Composition test is 150
  • The 45% of the multiple choice equals 82.5 points.
  • The 55% of the essay eqals 67.5 points.
  • Add together the raw scores of each of the two section to get your composite score.

Converting the Composite Score into an AP grade
  • 150-100 points = 5
  • 99-86 points = 4
  • 85-67 points = 3
2 and 1 fall below this range.

*Rankin, E. & Murphy, B. (2010). 5 Steps to a 5. New York:McGraw Hill.